The 50 Heaviest Songs Before Black Sabbath: #30-21

Guitar World counts down the heaviest songs before Black Sabbath. #50-41 | #40-31

25 - Andromeda, "Keep Out ’Cos I’m Dying" (1969)
Andromeda were another band who served to bridge the gap between psychedelic rock and what was to become heavy metal. When the song changes gears around the 2:17 mark, you can hear the stirrings of Black Sabbath waiting in the wings.

Everyone talks about Ina-Gadda-Da-Vida but to me "Iron Butterfly Theme" (from their first album circa 1966) is much heavier, and pre-dates Ina-Gadda quite a bit. It has all the elements (except vocals) massive sounding heavy fuzz guitar, spooky minor scale, sound-effects, it actually SOUNDS like real metal being smashed (or something). To me that's always been the 1st heavy metal song I can recall. I still enjoy listening to it and playing it today (crank up the Big Muff and go to town!!)

All Day And All Of The Night, still remember listening to that on the car radio back then. Always thought it was better than You Really Got Me. If Van Halen had recorded it instead it would be considered the Kinks big song.

All Day And All Of The Night, still remember listening to that on the car radio back then. Always thought it was better than You Really Got Me. If Van Halen had recorded it instead it would be considered the Kinks big song.

OK, I haven't went through the whole list but this should be number 1. Before heavy metal there was just heavy music and this was the heaviest of the heavy. I noticed Sunshine Of Your Love was number 41, should be no. 2, In-A-Gadda-Vida no. 3. I haven't seen Summertime Blues by Blue Cheer yet but surely it'll be up in the top 10. I'll give it number 4. After that, have to think about it. Purple Haze should be in the top 10. I hope Dazed & Confused is up there somewhere.